The University of Iowa Office of Innovation has awarded a total of $109,000 to 11 faculty, staff, and trainee-led projects as part of the Fall 2025 Innovation GAP Funding.
The Innovation GAP Fund supports early-stage technology development across the University of Iowa, helping innovators de-risk research-based innovation with commercial potential.
Of the total funding, the Carver College of Medicine represented nine awards totaling $86,500. The College of Dentistry and Pharmacy represented two awards totaling $22,500.
Fall 2025 funding recipients include:
James Byrne, Assistant Professor of Radiation Oncology, received $7,000 to advance gas-entrapping materials for topical delivery of therapeutic gases.
Sandeep Laroia, Clinical Professor of Radiology – Division of Vascular & Interventional Radiology, received $10,000 to advance mid-infrared lasers for thermal ablation.
Adam Mailloux, Assistant Professor of Microbiology and Immunology, received $12,000 to advance hyperbaric oxygen therapy in non–small cell lung cancer.
Ashley Cooney, Research Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, received $10,000 to advance a pulmonary surfactant-based eye drop.
William H. Thiel, Associate Professor of Internal Medicine–Cardiovascular Medicine, received $10,000 to advance cardiomyocyte-specific aptamers.
Madaline Mocchi, Iowa Neuroscience Specialty Program in Research Education Postdoctoral Fellow, received $8,000 to advance technology around real-time tracking of pupil activity
Martha Carvour, Assistant Professor of Internal Medicine–Infectious Diseases, received $9,500 to advance development of a point-of-care device to detect volatile organic compounds in bacterial infections.
Aaron Brake, Diagnostic/Interventional Radiology Resident, and Stefano Byer, Internal Medicine Resident, received $10,000 to advance their concept for a torque tip wire catheter.
Kamel Shibbani, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics–Cardiology, received $10,000 to advance development of integrated length markings for stent positioning.
Christopher Hogden, Assistant Professor of Endodontics, and Robert Bowers, Assistant Professor of Family Dentistry, received $7,500 to advance the development of a simulated endodontic training tooth.
Kevin Rice, Professor of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Experimental Therapeutics, received $15,000 to advance the evolution of Reverse Strand RNA platform.
In addition to receiving this initial funding, award recipients will have the opportunity to further showcase their innovations at a Spring 2026 Pitch Event, hosted by the University of Iowa Office of Innovation. The top four pitches will receive up to $25,000 to accelerate the development of their innovations. The event will be open to the public to attend, and additional event details will be announced soon.